SYNTHESIS OF THE SPEECH BY MARCO PANNELLA AT THE ORATORY MARATHON ORGANISED TODAY BY L’OPINIONE DELLA LIBERTA.

THE E.U. AND THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT MUST IMMEDIATELY PROMOTE AND ORGANISE A GREAT POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE TO BRING THE U.N TO TAKE OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SITUATION IN IRAQ, THE ONLY OBJECTIVE CAPABLE OF FORMING AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE WAR, THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD ORGANISATION OF DEMOCRACY AND OF DEMOCRACIES, AND WITHIN IT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND EUROPE.

The project for which we are fighting (and fighting is very different from ‘having a position’), backed by people from 165 countries and by the majority of Italian senators, deputies, and MEPs, is increasingly relevant, bringing together as it does the objective of peace with that of the democracy and freedom of the Iraqi people.The sooner and the more firmly we affirm the advantage for the Anglo-American coalition on one hand and the Iraqi regime on the other of entrusting the UN with a clear form of government in the democratisation of the regime, the tragedy that has beset Iraq for many decades and that has now exploded into war will turn into a historic event of enormous human, political, and institutional importance: the life of rights and the right to life for the millions of people to whom they are denied. I therefore ask, now more than ever, that we should now unite no longer only the majority of Italian senators and deputies, but at least two-thirds of them, with the 27,000 people from 165 countries who have signed the on-line appeal in favour of the possible and necessary alternative to the war in progress.Intellectual and civil honesty requires us to recognise the fact that this and any other choice in favour of democracy, civilisation and peace is made possible by the determination with which, until two weeks ago, the deterrent of armed intervention was used in support of the requests made by the UN and by all democratic states.

Intellectual and civil honesty also requires us to recognise the fact that this deterrent probably failed in its aims due to the lack of a unified political and diplomatic action on the part of too many states and too many political forces, however much they may have claimed and continue to claim to believe that Saddam’s regime is contrary to justice, rights, democracy and freedom, natural justice acquired over history by the men and women of the world.

This necessary action finds the European Union divided and paralysed, the European Union that should long ago have united and can still unite the vast majority of states, including those of the Middle East and those now involved in the war, to build together the conditions for a UN administration to overcome the tragedy in Iraq.The Italian government must finally decide, in line with its declarations and with the decisions of parliament, as a member of the troika, on the eve of its presidency of the European Union, to take formal steps to bring the Union, and (probably all) the member states, to support an immediate commitment by the Security Council to establish a new government in Iraq, guaranteeing a safe conduct out of the country and physical safety for Saddam and his entourage.

In Italy the Radical proposal is now finally seen as a clear alternative to those who openly declare that they would now prefer a long and bloody conflict leading to the confirmation of Saddam’s power to a rapid conclusion favourable to the objective of a “Free Iraq!”, democratic and disarmed.

WE MUST NOW PROCEED TO THE CREATION OF THE WORLD ORGANISATION OF DEMOCRACY AND OF DEMOCRACIES; AND OF THE GREAT NEW FEDERALIST, DEMOCRATIC AND LIBERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE UNITED STATES OF EUROPE AND AMERICA . THIS IS THE NECESSARY AND FITTING DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREAT IDEALS AND PROFOUND POLITICAL REFORMS CONCEIVED RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE 1940S, IN THE VENTOTENE MANIFESTO, BY ALTIERO SPINELLI AND ERNESTO ROSSI, THEN SHARED BY THE EUROPE OF DE GASPERI, ADENAUER, AND SHUMAN, WHO TOGETHER WITH THE USA BROUGHT ABOUT THE DEFEAT OF ALL FORMS OF FASCISM, NAZISM, COMMUNISM, AND ANTIDEMOCRATIC AND ANTIPOPULAR FUNDAMENTALISM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.